Combination auditorium seat and desk unit



' July 16, 1968 D. BENDELL- C OMBINATION AUDITORIUM SEAT AND DESK UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27. 1967 B m MM W y FIG.5

INVENTOR- DAVID. BENDELL v D. BENDELL.

' July 16, 1968 COMBINATION AUDIT ORIUM SEAT AND DESK UNIT Filed Feb. 27. 1967 -v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/VVE /VTOI? DAVID BENDELL D. BENDELL COMBINATION AUDITORIUM SEAT AND DESK UNIT July 16, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 27. 1967 //VVE/VTO/? DAVID BENDELL United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combination auditorium seat and desk unit consists of a pair of spaced and slightly inclined upright posts mounted on a base member with a shorter upright post mounted thereon between the posts, a pair of seats and a combined backrest and desk pivotally mounted on the posts, the combined backrest and desk is provided with a pair of pivot plates secured to the edges thereof with pivot pins extending in the pair of posts in proximity of the upper ends, the pivot plates and the posts have cooperating flange means which become engaged when the combined backrest and desk is pivoted through an are less than 270 inclined vertical position to a horizontal position for use of the unit as a desk.

This invention relates to auditorium seats and is more particularly directed to an auditorium seat unit which may be converted into a desk.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a combination auditorium seat and desk unit having two seats which is readily converted from one use to the other by merely revolving the backrest of the seat to form a desk for a person seated in the adjacent row.

- Another object of they present invention is to provide a combination auditorium seat and desk unit Which is simple in construction, inexpensive in cost and one which is readily converted to either seating two persons or to its use as a desk for a person.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combination auditorium seat and desk unit with a backrest consisting of upholsters back engaging members and a desk member fastened together and pivotally mounted so as to be readily swung for effecting the use of one or the other of the members.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of my combination auditorium seat and desk unit, shown in position to be used for seating purposes.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the unit converted for use as a desk with the dotted line position illustrating a second position of the desk member.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross sectional views taken along 55 and 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side view of the backrest and the stop mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the same structure as FIGURE 7 shown in a second stop position.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are 3,393,008 Patented July 16, 1968 ice used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers to my combination auditorium seat and desk consisting of a seat S and a backrest B which is pivotally mounted between posts 11 as will be described in detail hereinafter. The posts 11, of which there are two, extend upwardly from the ends of a horizontal support member 12 and are inclined slightly rearwardly of a vertical plane passing through the sup port member 12. The horizontal support member 12 is supported on legs 13 at whose lower end are circular base members 14 which are fastened by bolts 23 to the floor of an auditorium.

As best shown by FIGURE 3, the support member 12 is of such length as to receive two seats S and at the mid-position of the support member 12 is a post 15 lying in the same plane as that of the posts 11 but extending upwardly only a short distance. Each of the posts 11 and 15 are provided with a pivot support member consisting of a metal rod 16 bent in a V-shape and whose ends are welded to the front faces of the posts 11, 15. At the vertex of the hinge support 16 there is a pin supporting bearing 17. Between adjacent hinge uspports 16 there is a seat S pivotally mounted thereon.

Along the sides of the seat S at the rear edge thereof is a hinge plate 18 fastened by screws and having an arm portion 19 that extends beyond the rear edge of the seat S. Mounted on the end of the arm portion 19 of the hinge plates 18 is a resilient stop member 20 fastened by a screw 21 to the hinge plate arm portion. The hinge plates 18 are provided with a pivot pin 25 which are received by the pin supporting bearings 17 whereby the seats S are permitted to swing from the vertical or non-use position to the horizontal or seating position. When the seat S is in its seating position, the resilient stop member 20 bears against the outside post 11 on one side and against a stop bracket 26 mounted on the middle post 15 on the other side as best shown by FIGURE 3. When the seat S is to its non-use or vertical position, the hinge plate arm portions 19 swing downwardly to engage the lower portions of the posts 11 and 15.

There is provided at the upper end of the middle post 15 a spring latch L which cooperates with the stop bracket 26 to releasably retain the backrest B in its seating position. The latch L consists of a stop member 27 having depending lugs 28 on each side. The lugs 28 are bored for receiving a pivot pin 29 whose ends are fastened to the side walls of the middle post 15. A coil spring 30 is likewise mounted on the pivot pin with arms extending outwardly and bearing against the front wall of the middle post 15 and the inside surface of the stop member 27 whereby the stop member 27 is yieldingly maintained in its upper pivoted position to engage the front surface of the lower edge of a desk member 31 forming a part of the backrest B. The backrest B is held in its vertical position by a resilient stop member 32 which engages the rear surface of the desk member 31, is mounted on a finger 132 which extends upwardly of the stop bracket 26. On each post 11 there is a further L-shaped stop member 22 which assists the finger 132 in securing the backrest B in its vertical position.

The backrest B which consists of the fiat desk member 31 has a pair of conventional upholstered backrest members 33 mounted on the front surface of the desk member 31. Along the side edges of the desk member 31 is a pivot plate 34 fastened thereto in proximity to the top edge of desk member 31. The pivot plate 34 is L-shaped member having a flange portion 35 which operates as a stop member and a pivot pin 36 that extends into and received by a bore 37 in the posts 11. Mounted on the post 11 is a companion stop member 38 which is likewise provided with a flange portion 39 which operates as a stop member when it engages the sto member 35. The flange portion 39 is capable of engaging with a second flange 40 for a second position of the desk member 31. The second flange 40 is punched out of a plate 41 slidably mounted on the pivot plate 34. The slide plate 41 is provided with elongated slots 42 and 43, the slot 42 receiving the pivot pin 36 while in the slot 43 there extends a fastening bolt 44 which secures the slide plate 41 in contact and sliding relation with the pivot plate 34 and limits the sliding movement of the slide plate 41. A bent portion 45 at the forward end of the slide plate 41 is used as a grip for pulling and pushing the slide plate to either of its two extreme positions With the slide plate 41 in the position shown by FIGURE 8 the stop flanges 40 of the slide plates 41 will engage the companion stop flange 39 and the desk member 31 will find itself in a level position. By pulling outwardly on the finger grip 45 of the slide plates 41 and sliding the slide plate 41 forwardly to the position shown by FIG- URE 7, the flange 40 will slide forwardly of the stop flange 39 and permit the backrest B to pivot further until the stop flange 35 engages the companion stop flange 39. The desk member 31 will now be tilted slightly from the horizontal to provide a slanted surface on which to read and write.

In the normal use of my combination auditorium seat and desk 10, I position each row of such seats out of alignment with an adjacent row of seats and fasten them to the floor of the auditorium. This places every other seat S in a row at the middle of the backrest B of the row in front of that seat. Now when the auditorium seats 10 of every other row is converted into a desk, the adjacent row behind the converted row of desks will have a seat S in the middle of the desk member 31.

Normally in an auditorium there is a need only for seats so that the combination auditorium seat and desk 10 will appear as shown by FIGURE 1 when the seats S are not in use. When it is desired to use the seats 10, the seat S is then pivoted downwardly as in all conventional auditorium seats to a horizontal position.

When the auditorium is to be used as a classroom for study or examination purposes, units 10 of alternating rows are converted to desk use while the adjacent rows are used as seats. The conversion of a seat to desk use is simply done by depressing the stop member 27 of the latch L and pivoting the backrest B on its pivot pins 36 by pulling forwardly on the lower edge of the backrest B and swinging this edge portion through approximately an arc of 260 degrees to the level position when the desk member 31 will be in a level or horizontal position. The stop flange 40 will have engaged the companion stop flange 39. Since the pivot pin 36 is in closer proximity to the top edge of the backrest B, the latter will be unbalanced in favor of the stop flanges 39 and 40 engaging each other and remaining in engagement. If it is desired to tilt the backrest B so that the desk member 31 will slant downwardly in the direction of the user thereof to make it more convenient for reading and writing thereon, the slide plates 41 are slid forwardly. This is done by grasping the grips 45 and pulling forwardly. The stop flanges 40 will slide forwardly of the companion stop flanges 39 and permit the backrest B to pivot further until the stop flanges 35 engage the companion stop flange 39.

To return the unit 10 from its desk position to a seating condition, all that need be done is rotate the backrest B in the reverse direction, that is, the edge furthest removed from the posts 11 and the seat S in pushed upwardly and the backrest B caused to be revolved through an arc of approximately 260 degrees. The lower edge of the desk member 31 will engage the stop member 27 of the latch L to pivot and depress it against the spring force permitting the desk member 31 to slip past the position of the middle'post 15 and engage the resilient stop member 32.. At this position the member 27 will pivot upwardly under the influence of the spring 28 and engage the forward surface of the desk member 41 and thereby lock it in position whereby the backrest members 33 are in position to act as backrests for persons seated in the seats S.

It is to be noted that the relative positions of the stop flanges 35, 40 and 39 may be varied to effect a differently angled position of the desk member 31 if such is desired. In fact if more than two positions are to be effected more stop flanges similarly positioned on the slide member 41 may be utilized.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination auditorium seat and desk unit comprising a base member, a pair of upwardly extending posts mounted on said base member, a third post mounted on said base member positioned substantially equally distanced between said pair of posts, said third post being substantially shorter in length than said pair of posts, a seat pivotally mounted between one of said pair of posts and said third post, backrest means extending between said pair of posts, said backrest means having a back engaging portion on one side and a flat surface on the other side, pivot means pivotally mounting said backrest means and said posts in proximity of the upper portion of said backrest means permitting pivotal movement of said backrest means through an arc of more than 180 degrees, latch means mounted on said third post releasably locking said backrest means in a substantially vertical position with said back engaging portion positioned for seating purposes and cooperatively engaging stop means mounted on said pair of posts and said backrest means in proximity of said pivot means securing said backrest means in a substantially horizontal position with said flat surface facing upwardly for desk purposes.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said pivot means comprise a pivot plate secured to each edge of said backrest means, a pivot pin extending between said pivot plate and said post, said pivot plate having a stop flange extending in a direction toward said post, a stop member mounted on said post in proximity of said pivot pin, said stop member having a flange extending in the direction of said backrest means and engaged by said stop flange of said pivot plate upon pivoting said backrest means from said vertical to said horizontal position.

3. The structure as recited by claim 2 taken in combination with a slide plate member slidably mounted on said pivot plate, said slide plate member having a further flange in space-d relation to said stop flange, said further flange engaging said flange of said stop member upon pivotal movement of said back means and means mounted on said slide plate member for sliding said further flange out of engagement with said stop flange and permitting a continued pivotal movement of said backrest means until said stop flange engages said flange of said stop member to position said backrest means at a second position for desk purposes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,009,737 11/ 1961 Burnett 297-146 3,049,374 8/1962 Nance 297146 3,254,915 6/1966 Mahaffey 297- OTHER REFERENCES Sico Mfg. Co. Catalog; January 1958, p. 113.

JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner. 

